1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to network authentication services. Specifically, the invention relates to apparatus, systems, and methods for authenticating a user.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, computer networks have become vital to many aspects of life including business, education, and government in part due to their ability to transfer sensitive information securely and efficiently. As the proliferation of computer networks continues, the desirability of enhancing network security increases. An important aspect of network security includes user authentication processes.
FIG. 1 illustrates a typical prior art computer network 100. The depicted network includes multiple computers 110 each having an authentication module 120, an identification module 130, an authentication data store 140, and an identification data store 150. To gain access to a computer 110, a user must enter a valid username and authentication name. Accordingly, the identification module 130 receives the username and identifies the user against the local identification data store 150. Similarly, the authentication module 120 receives the authentication name and authenticates the user against the local authentication data store 140.
Though this approach enables user authentication, the approach includes certain limitations. For example, enabling a user to logon to any computer 110 requires each computer 110 to have an updated authentication and identification data store 140,150. If computers are added to the network 100, each new computer must be provided with updated data stores 140,150. Furthermore, each data store 140,150 must be managed and updated as users are added or removed from the network. In short, providing each network computer 110 a locally managed authentication and identification data store 140,150 requires considerable time and effort.
One user authentication solution involves providing a merged repository of identification and authentication data available to network computers. A typical example of this includes merging all the user identification and authentication data into a NIS or LDAP repository. However, merging the identification and authentication data can involve considerable time and effort as some networks may include hundreds of users.
Given the aforementioned issues and challenges related to providing user authentication services, a need exists for an apparatus, system, and method for providing enhanced user authentication services. Beneficially, such a system, apparatus, and method would enable user authentication without requiring considerable time and effort in creating, managing, and maintaining the service.